CVE-2005-4301 in phpXplorer
Summary
by MITRE
Cross-site scripting (XSS) vulnerability in phpXplorer 0.9.12 and earlier allows remote attackers to inject arbitrary web script or HTML via the address bar field.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 07/15/2018
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2005-4301 represents a critical cross-site scripting flaw in phpXplorer version 0.9.12 and earlier installations. This vulnerability resides in the application's handling of user input within the address bar field, creating an avenue for remote attackers to execute malicious web scripts or HTML code within the context of other users' browsers. The flaw fundamentally undermines the security boundaries that should exist between legitimate user interactions and potentially harmful code execution.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability stems from insufficient input validation and output encoding within the phpXplorer application's web interface. When users navigate through the file system using the address bar functionality, the application fails to properly sanitize or escape user-supplied data before rendering it in the browser context. This allows attackers to inject malicious payloads that persist in the application's interface and execute when other users view the affected pages. The vulnerability specifically targets the address bar field, which serves as the primary navigation mechanism for the application's file browsing functionality, making it a high-value target for exploitation.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple script injection, as it enables attackers to perform a wide range of malicious activities including session hijacking, credential theft, data exfiltration, and redirection to malicious sites. An attacker could craft a specially formatted URL containing malicious script code that, when visited by another user, would execute in their browser context. This creates a persistent threat vector that can compromise user sessions and potentially allow attackers to gain unauthorized access to sensitive files or system resources. The vulnerability affects all users of the affected phpXplorer versions, making it particularly dangerous in multi-user environments where shared access to file systems is common.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability should focus on immediate input validation and output encoding implementations. The most effective approach involves sanitizing all user-supplied input through proper HTML entity encoding before rendering any content in the browser. Additionally, implementing a content security policy that restricts script execution can provide defense-in-depth protection. Organizations should also consider implementing web application firewalls that can detect and block malicious script injection attempts. The vulnerability aligns with CWE-79, which specifically addresses cross-site scripting flaws, and maps to ATT&CK technique T1566 for the initial access vector through malicious web content. Regular security updates and patch management processes should be implemented to prevent similar vulnerabilities from being introduced in future versions of the application, while also ensuring that legacy systems are properly secured through proper input validation mechanisms.